Holidays are a time to enjoy being with family, friends and good food, but for young Trinity, Christmas Eve meant a trip to an emergency room Tuesday.

”My husband took her temperature; she was at 103 (degrees). By the time we got here, she was 104,” the 3-year-old girl’s mother, Tracy Doyle, said.

The family was enjoying time at an indoor water park in the Wisconsin Dells when Trinity felt feverish, Doyle said.

She was treated by St. Mary’s emergency room physician Owen Anderson, who said this time of year, the staff works on quite a few falls and a number of respiratory illnesses, including bronchitis and pneumonia.

”People are just around each other more so there’s an increased chance of transmission of these illnesses,” Anderson said.

Overall, Anderson said good hygiene is the best defense against sickness.

When it comes to those family gatherings where several hands are passing and piling on the food, there is an increased chance of catching something unpleasant.

However, at a time when coming into close contact with family or friends is common, Anderson said the best advice is to keep good hygiene and your distance from others who may be sick.

For Doyle’s family, she said she would make sure they keep up on fluids and medication, and they will do their best to enjoy the holiday.

Many health care providers offer on-call nurses who can answer any questions you might have. However, you would need to check with your provider for that number.

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